Cases, tears, towels and love in the rain
by Snoozegoof
Summary: After a tough case Hood comforts Rachel and they begin a relationship. Will someone please teach me how to write good summaries!


**Author's note: Hey guys. Someone asked for a sequel, and I'm just here to please and was happy to oblige. This is my first love scene, so as usual feedback would be terrific. Also, I'd love for Eh to have more than 50 fanfics, you guys are such good writers and EH deffinitley deserves creative input, so please join me in trying to get the number of Fanfics over 50. Thank you so much for reading. Please enjoy and review!**

* * *

The hotel key slipped into the door as the light turned green, signaling their admittance into the room. Rachel pulled her gun from her waist and quickly cleared their adjoining rooms. Hood stood behind, wanting terribly to make an immature comment about how unnecessary the room search was, but bit back his remark when Rachel turned to him. Her face strained with exhaustion and heavy thought, and something else, something he could not quite recognize that only reflected in her eyes. He silently admonished himself for trying to analyze her; after all he himself hated being analyzed. Of course they were both tired, it had been many long days since either of them had any real rest, and it had been emotionally exhausting as well, watching infants fight for their lives as helpless parent s looked on, begging for help, for time, for anything to help their young children.

"Hood?" Rachel asked, her voice almost defeated but with just a glimmer of edginess clinging on.

"Mmm" He mumbled back, lost in his minds review of the case they were not yet half an hour off: A virus causing infants vital organs to swell, either suffocating them or sending them into cardiac arrest. It had been transmitted through an improperly tested formula, supposed to support strong bone growth, instead making blood platelets too large for their small hearts and lungs to regulate, causing death within 12 hours. He and Rachel remained completely professional, though the slight trembling and watery eyes of his rough and tough female partner had not escaped him.

"Hood!" Rachel barked, irritated at the scientist for zoning out.

"Yeah?" Bringing himself back to the room he found himself staring at red and tan checked bedspread, it looked inviting enough, though he knew hard as he tried, sleep would not come easily tonight.

"Panic button?" Rachel asked, too worn to phrase the whole question properly.

"Mmhm" Hood nodded back, not quite sure what to say, whether or not to comment on the difficult case, or to simply give her space to cope on her own.

He chose the latter as he watched her proceed in a slower than usual pace, to her room, where she closed the door three quarters of the way.

One minute later he heard the shower turn on and decided he would follow her lead, hoping his own shower would clear his mind and help him achieve sleep.

Fifteen minutes later he was showered and changed back into jeans and an undershirt, having conveniently forgotten his pajamas in the dryer back in California. He stepped out of the bathroom followed by a waft of humid air. He was half way towards his bed when the soft whimpering sound reached his ears. It took him no time to be through the door between the adjoining rooms and outside Rachel's bathroom, the door slightly ajar.

She was wrapped in a towel, wet hair draped down her shoulders, face in her hands dripping with tears, sitting on the toilet seat. Seeing her vulnerable and alone made him shudder, and he acted quickly. Grabbing a bathrobe out of a nearby closet and quietly rapping on the door before slowly walking in.

"Rachel?" Her head snapped up, confirming his assumption that she had not heard his knock or his entrance.

"Hood I…" She trailed off as more tears flowed down her face and her cheeks reddened with shame.

"No, Rachel, here," He silently prayed she wouldn't push him away as he wrapped the bathrobe around her shoulders. His eyes taking in the freckles on her shoulders and the scar above her right breast. His mind quickly calculated all the ways she could have gotten such a scar, inwardly shuddering, as each of them required someone accidently or intentionally stabbing her. He knelt in front of her, careful not to let his line of sight rest on either her breasts or her legs. He sought out her eyes as she stared downward into her lap, wracked with grief and mortally embarrassed. She was in a towel for God sake's, but the crying was worse, it was a weakness, and FBI agents don't show weakness.

When she raised her gaze to Hood's though, her embarrassment at crying diminished considerably, as his beautiful hazel eyes showed only care, concern, and something unrecognizable, burning deep within the green-brown embers. His eyes had none of the dominance she had seen in other men's eyes as they watched women cry.

Slowly, so as not to startle her or make her withdraw, he placed his hands over hers. His thumbs massaged in soothing circles, as she battled to get her breathing back to normal, which only resulted in choking sobs.

Not being able to take seeing her body jerk with each intake of breath, he gently scooted her to the edge of the toilet seat, all the while his eyes stared into hers, silently asking permission to move closer and comfort her. Eyelashes stuck together from salty tears, drooped slightly over her deep blue eyes. Her previous wariness beginning to fade as the full force of exhaustion set in.

Hood weighed the risks of getting too intimate, his inner wounds still raw from the loss of his wife. But she needed him, and they had grown close over their time together, their banter and teasing, while still remaining professional but also getting small glimpses into the pain and suffering of each other's lives. With his decision made to ignore his worries about the awkwardness tomorrow would bring, he tenderly lifted her into his lap and tucked her against him.

Rachel felt the towel shift and knew the upper part of her thigh was now exposed, but to her own amazement she didn't pull away from Hood to fix it. She knew he was attracted to her, just as she was to him. But something in what he had done for her tonight, not trying to make a move when she was vulnerable as others had, putting what he felt aside in order to comfort her, made her feel warm and safe…a feeling she was not used to, but found herself very content with.

Her head was tucked under his chin, her wet hair cool against his skin, but he didn't mind. The slight cold was helping him to steady his heart beat. His concern combined with her state of undress had caused his heart to hammer with worry and attraction, the second he was trying desperately to fight off.

Her trembling and jerky breathing had eased as she listened to his heart beat, sometimes steady sometimes speeding up in pace. It was lulling her into a heavy and much needed sleep, cradled in his arms.

A while later, the time being anyone's guess(Hood felt as though he could hold Rachel in his arms for an eternity if that was what she needed, so the time was of no matter to him), but he realized that her neck wouldn't hurt nearly as much tomorrow if she slept in a proper bed. So as gently as he could, trying not to jostle her, he lifted her in his arms and carried into the bedroom.

The bathrobe had fallen off her shoulders when he lifted her, making Hood abruptly realize that he could not put her to bed in a towel.

"Rachel?" He asked softly. She stirred gently against him, being roused by the low rumble that vibrated through his chest when he spoke.

"Mm," She managed to say through the fog that had descended over her brain. She was aware of her hand on his broad chest, and of how safe and comfortable she felt in his embrace, but all her other senses seemed to be on temporary leave.

Sensing this, he realized that dressing her would be solely up to him, at this he felt his skin flush and his heart start tangoing against his ribcage.

Rachel's mind cleared a bit more and she regained enough function to realize his intense unease. She stirred against him. So after a slight battle within himself, he simply decided to ask, hoping she had recovered enough to at least aid him a little.

"Rachel, I'm going to help you get dressed…alright?" He asked in a voice barely above a whisper; almost as if he were afraid somebody from the FBI had bugged their rooms and had heard the intimate encounter between them tonight.

"Ok, Jacob…?" She asked, catching him off guard with the use of his first name. As well as surprising him with a relatively coherent answer.

"Yeah?" He answered, wondering what question she could possibly pose while being so tired.

"I'm sorry…you had to do this." Her tongue felt thick in her mouth and one tear rolled down her cheek; before his warm hand reached up to gently wipe it away.

Not knowing what to say, he felt his own eyes grow misty. He caressed her cheek with his thumb, his other arm complaining from being left to support her weight solo. His eyes gazed into hers with such intensity.

"I'm not." He stated in a husky but firm voice. And he wasn't. After all she had given him in their partnership, he had once again found comfort in another person's presence, he had regained his sense of humor, and she had mended his heart. Comforting her when a case had taken a particularly hard toll was the least he could do, and besides, he liked occasionally seeing the side of her that wasn't FBI Agent Rachel Young. He liked the side that was just Rachel, without the barricades she put up to stop people from getting too close.

He was jerked away from his thoughts for the second time that night. As Rachel gently tried to maneuver out of his arms to stand up, not realizing that the towel concealing her was no longer secure, the only thing holding it up being the pressure from leaning against Hood.

Her legs felt wobbly when he complied and lightly placed her on the ground. The towel slipped so quickly neither one had a chance to catch it, thankfully her back was still turned to him, sparing her some embarrassment.

Hood quickly reached down to retrieve the towel and replace it on her body, draping it over her shoulders, before mumbling about finding her some clothes. He turned abruptly and went in search of her suitcase, needing to focus his mind on something, all the while his hands clenched, biting his bottom lip in an effort to keep his lower body from responding to seeing her naked. She was beautiful certainly, and any man in their right mind would find her attractive, but the feelings she had just aroused in him, he had thought had died with his wife. Attraction he was alright with, but the biological need to be with someone, that was very different, and he was not certain it was safe to feel that for Rachel.

With a resigned sigh he concentrated on producing her clothes from the jumble that inhabited her suitcase. A smile warmed his face as he thought about Agent Young: so organized, always on time. And then the Rachel that had packed this bag: flustered, unorganized and in a hurry. He finally came up with an oversized t-shirt, drawstring pants and underwear; he had located a lacy bra, but thought that the process of getting that on her, as tired as she was, was not a good idea. So he settled for the t-shirt, pants and a pair of black cotton panties.

After assuring himself that he could do this, he slowly made his way back to where Rachel was now lying on top of the bed spread, her towel draped over most of her like a blanket, once again in a deep sleep.

Dr. Hood placed the clothes next to her on the bed, and gently stroked her cheek in an effort to wake her.

She began to mumble incoherently in her extreme fatigue…He was once again alone in this task.

"Rachel?" No answer.

"Ok…well here we go…you tell me if something's wrong ok?" He tried his best to keep the fear out of his voice, but failed miserably. The new tone in his voice managed to bring Rachel through the fog a bit, but not enough so that she could be of any help. Her body and her voice and mind all felt disconnected, and she felt heavy and her tongue felt thick and her eyes drooped and opened in an endless battle to stay awake.

Jacob pulled the oversized shirt over her head after sitting her up, though still managing to keep the towel in place; he pulled the shirt down to its full length before sucking in his breath, and removing the towel.

He discarded it on the floor beside him and grabbed the black undies. Managing to get both dangling feet through, he began to inch his way up until he was at the hem of the t-shirt. Although she was still far off, she could have sworn she felt his hands trembling against her upper thighs as he gently slid her underwear all the way up, and let out a shuddering breath.

With most of the ordeal over, he unfolded the pajama pants and gently propped her up so she was once again leaning on his chest, and got her legs through before securing the drawstring around her slim waist.

He stroked her smooth cheek once more with his thumb before lifting her gracefully into his arms again, carrying her to the head of the bed, and placing her among the pillows, beneath the soft comforter. He leaned in to place a feathery kiss on her forehead and run a hand on top of her hair.

"Jacob?" She mumbled softly, pulling at his heartstrings.

"Yeah Rach?" He whispered against her ear, taking in the smell of her shampoo and the lingering strawberry smell she acquired from having such a sweet tooth.

"Stay…"

And he did. Right next to her, holding her in his arms. Not caring what wrath of woman he would endure tomorrow. And he slept more soundly than he had in years, his breathing matching the sound of her heartbeat. In perfect sync.

* * *

Gray-blue light began to filter through the curtains, casting shadows about the room. Rachel woke slowly, a feeling of warmth had spread all about her body and she found that lying in its embrace, in his embrace, she felt more safe and loved than she could ever remember.

Details and fragments of her breakdown last night crept back to her. She moved carefully, not wanting to wake Hood. She knew he suffered terribly from insomnia, but he seemed peaceful now, unlike his usual stirring sleep. Black curls nestled against the backdrop of pillows. She could have sworn she saw his sleeping face frown when she maneuvered out of his arms, just as badly as he wanted her there; she wanted to stay there, safe from the world, intimate with Jacob Hood. But that could not be, she was his handler, his protection from everyone, including herself.

She cautiously walked towards the bathroom, stopping to retrieve clothes from her suitcase. Color fled up her neck and onto her face as she realized her lacy bra was sitting right on top of the pile of slightly rumpled clothes. _Oh God, he helped me get dressed!_ She shuddered violently.

Hood woke with a start, feeling a slight vertigo, but never the less leapt out of bed when he saw Rachel shaking. He was at her side instantly, rubbing her arms in an effort to comfort her. But she flinched away. Mortification overtaking her, she ran to the bathroom and slammed the door without a second glance in his direction.

The sudden realization hit him like bricks to the chest: he had done something wrong, she was scared or embarrassed or maybe even loathed him. _Oh God, please let her be ok. Please let us be ok. _He sank to a sitting position against the wall next to the bathroom, his head in his hands.

Rachel turned on the shower, she didn't intend on actually taking one, she just needed the noise to help her focus. Last night had been a terrible lapse in judgment. She had let emotions take control and put an innocent Jacob Hood in the role of taking responsibility for her. He done so with such compassion it almost made her weak at the knees and she couldn't shake the feeling of his arms cradling her. She wanted very badly to have him hold her now, but they had to get back to reality, to being professional and nothing else…they had already crossed too many lines…one more and they may never be able to go back. She couldn't lose the partnership with the man she had come to admire so much, even if she desperately wanted something more.

His mind replayed the events of last night, looking for something he could have done differently, done better, not done at all…anything that would make this reaction go away. He felt years of unshed tears threaten his eyes as he added Rachel to the list of people he failed. He decided they needed to talk, whether or not they wanted to, they had to. He was entirely confused and desperately needed to know what she was feeling, and what he could do, and most important of all: where they stood now.

"Rachel?" He called softly as he tapped the bathroom door with his knuckles.

"Not now Hood." She answered tersely, surprised at how good her voice sounded given her current state.

"Rachel…please…just please don't push me away." His voice cracked slightly and she could hear the desperation there. Her eyes began to mist again, she had cried more last night than she had in her whole life collectively, she had completely let go, which was why she now needed to distance herself from Hood. Last night was the most intimate she'd ever been with a man, she'd had sex sure, but last night was different: she had trusted him completely, she had felt safe and loved, and she couldn't say that about _any_ of the times she'd had sex.

She heard him sink to the floor outside the door again, sighing deeply. But she could tell he wouldn't give up, he wasn't the kind of man to give up on something he cared about, and now she knew the extent to which he cared about her. Drawing in a shaky breath she lumped together all the courage she could find, and opened the door.

He was sitting on the floor with his head in his hands again; the sight of him so distraught tugged at her heart and made her immediately guilty for her earlier actions.

"Hood?" She asked shyly, watching as his head shot up before he catapulted himself to a standing position.

"Rachel…I'm so sorry, if I hurt you or offended you or embarrassed you or…" His confession streamed out of him, only silenced when Rachel placed a palm on his waist and fixed her gaze right above his collar. _Did he intend to fall asleep in his jeans last night?_ _Well, knowing Hood he overlooked pajamas all together. _She laughed inwardly, at the eccentricities of the brilliant and compassionate man she was falling for.

"No, Jacob. I'm sorry for the way I acted this morning, I'm…not quite feeling myself yet. But last night… you…thank you." She stumbled but managed to get out the desired words. She exhaled a breath she hadn't know she'd been holding, fighting off all her Agent Young instincts to either ignore him or run and finally let her eyes meet his. His hazel orbs shimmered with such clarity her heart began pounding faster. He had taken his mask off for her, and it was beautiful and painful all in one foul swoop. For the first time she saw the whole man she had only previously been awarded glimpses of: the man with guilt and sorrow etched into his very soul, but also concern, compassion, and love…all for her.

With words betraying her, she did the only thing that felt logical at the moment: she let head fall to his chest; her arms circle his waist as she pressed her body against his in an embrace that answered all of their previous questions. Jacob Hood felt his heart warm in the places he had thought died long ago, it hurt, this coming back to life, but if she was there, he was sure he could do it. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as close as he possibly could, stroking her hair and her cheeks, holding her to him, never wanting to let go.

* * *

_Two weeks later:_

Jacob spooned Rachel from behind, the large king bed providing plenty of room for the both of them, and yet they took up as little space as possible, wanting to be as close to each other as physics would allow.

They had worked three other cases since the case of badly engineered baby formula, and the night of Rachel's breakdown, though secretly they both referred to it more as a _breakthrough. _They had grown immensely close in these past two weeks: spending late nights holding each other, talking about childhoods and dreams and favorite flavors of ice cream. They held hands and kissed tenderly, they held each other and slept in the same bed, but they had not had sex. It was a silent agreement that neither was ready, Rachel still adapting to fully trusting someone, and Jacob worrying like crazy about whether or not his personal mechanics would be able to please her…it had been a long time.

Jacob rained soft kisses along her jaw line and right cheek, leaving her with a warm tingling sensation on the side of her face. Rachel savored these moments, she enjoyed talking to him of course, she loved talking to him in fact. Sometimes about things she'd never told another soul and sometimes about ridiculous things, like how she used to love lightning. But these moments, the ones when he was physically intimate with her, she loved even more; she knew she couldn't push it though. Each time he began something she fell right in stride with him, sometimes even ahead of him, but then the look of fear clouded over his eyes and he stopped immediately.

She wiggled out of his embrace and stood, evening our her rumpled shirt.

"Alright Dr. Hood we really do have to leave now." Rachel sighed, exasperated. They were late to a briefing meeting with the local county, they had solved the case and now the finer points were up to the sheriff and his men. Jacob reluctantly got out of bed.

"Alright Agent Young." Hood grinned as he held the door open for her to exit.

Two and a half hours later, all paperwork done, local police department briefed on the case, should any more possible victims come forward the local hospital had the fast reaction salve to stop the infection, Hood and Rachel walked out of the police building, to the pouring rain. Both standing and contemplating for a moment.

"Walk in the rain?" Rachel suggested, loving the childhood freedom aspect of a walk in the rain.

"Nothing would please me more." He spoke honestly; the thought of a stroll in the rain with the woman he loved warmed him despite the biting air.

They walked hand in hand through a secluded park, screened with tall oaks and bushes, the canopy above them creating an umbrella of leaves to shield them from the downpour. Rachel huddled closer to Hood for warmth. He kissed her gently and hugged her in an effort to help her get warm.

"Do you want to go back?" He asked, worried about her teeth chattering.

"Not a chance." Was her firm reply as she kissed him back.

* * *

His hands came up to cup her chin as they deepened the kiss. His need for her overcoming his doubts for a moment. Their tongues touched, tangled and explored. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him, forgetting she had ever been cold. They backed against a broad oak tree for support, her hands tangling in his hair. Hood pulled back slightly, a question in his eyes.

She stroked his cheek and let her hand slide down to his chest, yes was her answer, she was sure, this was what she wanted. With that he began to taste her again, reveling in how wonderful it felt to kiss her this way. When he began to rain kisses down her neck to the top of her breast a soft moan escaped her lips. It was then that she felt him against the inside of her leg, strong and wanting her, her breathing hitched and she leaned into him. Green-brown met blue when their gazes locked and silent, split second decisions were made. Most of the town was still in quarantine, it was raining, people rarely visited this park, and right next to them was some very inviting grass shielded by trees. Neither of them wanted to walk back to the hotel, knowing that when they arrived all previous fears would have been reinstated, they had to do this now.

Hood's coat splayed behind her on the ground as she lay beneath him, both their hands trembling as they removed each other's shirts. Rachel ran her hands over his broad and muscular chest, and felt his should muscles ripple as he leaned down to savor her lips once more. She smiled against his lips as she turned the tables and straddled his lap; Hood took it all in stride though, removing her bra, turning his attention to her breasts and abdomen. She arched against him and sent her hands down in a blind search for his pants zipper. But his hands stopped her gently, his eyes beginning to cloud over with fear. _Dammit Rachel, he's scared!_ All the times she had thought about this moment, it had never occurred to her that this would be his first time since his wife. She cursed herself for not being more sensitive, for not taking more time, for not reassuring him that they were okay and that she loved him no matter what. But now they were there, she knew they couldn't just stop, it would be painful and agitating and embarrassing for the both of them.

So she gently pushed his hands away from hers and undid the top button and the zipper. She rolled beneath him again. His hands were now propping him up and she felt him take in a shaky breath above her. She raised her head and pressed her lips to his.

The water dripping from the top of the canopy did nothing to disguise Rachel's tears. Hood kissed them away, but found himself shedding his own. They held each other, intertwined in every way.

The milestones, the heartbreaks, the near death experiences, and the partnership between a kick-ass FBI agent and a quirky genius scientist, finally came together, when Jacob and Rachel made love in the rain.


End file.
